Flying a Tail Dragger - Tip #8 - Grass Strip Approach and Landing - POV flying

[@KCdurt]

I love how Dennis is so laid back and calm, and the way that he breaks everything down. I like how he sometimes watches you make a mistake rather than to correct you. He reminds me of my favorite teachers from high school. The kind that engage you rather than just trying to get you through the material. It makes it more enjoyable and easier to digest. It'd be cool to see a series or even a segment-type deal devoted to instruction with you two. "Dual with Dennis".

[@mrbigbuck55]

You observations and logic about flying a tail dragger are right on.. I own a PA 18 and have lived through all those trials and tribulations myself.. Good work...

[@huracan200173]

I've learnt to fly on a PA-11 myself, and regarding the aggressive attitude, the instructor always told me to "not give back" when you're pulling the stick. That is to maintain the pressure on the stick. I think that's what your buddy was telling you... Your channel is AWESOME.

[@FlightChops]

Javier Llaneza really appreciate the feedback! and yeah - I'm solo int he Super Cub now (videos to come) it has really helped all my flying improve to learn how to fly smoothly and manage energy in the Super Cub!

[@huracan200173]

***** Every pilot I speak with always tell me that if you learn to fly on a conventional gear plane, the rest it's just a walk in the park... is that so? What's your feedback having flown both?

[@FlightChops]

Javier Llaneza Absolutely! My only regret is that I waited so long to get into Tail Wheel flying. It is great fun! It's very challenging, but I can feel ALL my other flying improving as I get better in the Super Cub. I can't recommend it enough; if you can get access to the training, go for it!

[@huracan200173]

***** All my flight hours have been on a tail wheel, that's why I'm asking... I don't know what's to fly a conventional one hehehe

[@FlightChops]

Javier Llaneza Sorry - I missed that you were the OP saying you'd learned in a PA-11 (when I get into "reply to comments zone" I have to move fast as they are starting to get over whelming, which is pretty cool, but starting to become a challenge to keep on top of and I really try to reply to all of them..

[@fliteguide]

Love all of your vids but I'm especially excited about this tail dragged series.

[@FlightChops]

Awesome thnx… I have a lot of great footage from that first lesson, and then I'll continue to make more when my tail wheel training resumes in the spring… so yeah, there will be a good number of "tail dragger tips" comming… I don't know if everyone thinks the random numbering idea is as funny as I do though :P I just don't know what order of importance to assign each of them, or how many there will be…

[@alanleizerman]

your videos are entertaining and educational. great work, a real pleasure to watch, from a 15 year pilot.

[@FlightChops]

+Alan Leizerman Right on! Thanks! you're lucky to be flying so young! I wished I could start at that age, but it wasn't until I was 21 - so you'll be WAY ahead of me :)

[@tridentproductions1]

Thank you for these tip videos! I'm training in the Super Cub and Falke for my PPL on a 340M grass strip atop a hill, as well as gliding. They're really quite fun. I love the series BTW :)

[@FlightChops]

Awesome thanks! After I get proficient flying tail wheel, I'll be looking to get checked out to tow gliders - and you better believe I'll be shooting and sharing THAT!

[@gordonmccoy1253]

Great Vid and even better commentary on what was going on... You're a student flight instructors dream of.... I had one, such as yourself back in '77/'78 in Fayetteville, NC... He was US Army Special Forces learning how to fly.... Taught him and his friend (also SF)... His friend told me that my "outstanding student" was always best in his class whether it be mountain training, scuba, jumping, firing range, ETC... AND He turned out to be like you - a GREAT human being and a fantastic student! Thanks for bringing back great memories! Gordon

[@FlightChops]

+Gordon Mccoy Thanks Gordon! I really appreciate the kind words!

[@gordonmccoy1253]

You're the guy I'd like to meet someday.. Where's home for you? I live on the Eastern Shore of MD, just across the Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis....

[@FlightChops]

+Gordon Mccoy Awesome! I'm in Toronto.

[@gordonmccoy1253]

:-D

[@NicHolmes]

I've just come back to watch this video again. I started my training in a Kitfox last year, I'm now 22 hours in and still not solo - based purely on the fact that I am not getting my round out into the flare quite correct, misjudging it and sometime pulling into flare too soon and stalling out the sky from a few feet up! (Man am I thankful for Grove gear) but watching this again, with the good talk through is really helpful, I must go back and watch my footage, but I think I'm yanking at the stick and not applying gentle pressure to arrest the descent!

[@musoseven8218]

Nic Holmes My dad had a kifox. IIRC, gentle back pressure was key until on the ground, then stick hard back. On the test flight after build the wind was straight down the RW and the test pilot and dad took off and pretty much landed it back in the numbers again (on the hard), the numbers at the start of the RW! I've spent time in tail draggers with my dad, so when I later went to land a nose wheel aircraft for the first time, the point the nose down stick forward (I'm exaggerating) then hold off to flare seemed a bit alien to me. I'd love to fly again, and taildraggers too, great fun STOL and rough strip capable. Good luck with the training the Kitfox will teach you lots.

[@MiceliCreations]

Great flight. Cool plane and great day!

[@bruce2357]

That glider cockpit you showed is a 2-33. That's also the first plane I ever flew back in 1980. The other cockpit was a Cherokee, which is what I did my powered plane training in, brings back memories. The 2-33 actually has what are referred to as "Dive Brakes", not spoilers. Spoilers are the lift spoiling devices that come out of the top of the wing only, which is what you see on most other gliders, especially the high performance ones. Dive brakes come out of the top and bottom of the wing and add significant drag as well as spoiling the lift. You can actually dive a 2-33 quite dramatically without picking up excess speed if you have the dive brakes fully deployed. When I flew gliders back in those days Super Cubs were the tow plane of choice, I've always had a thing for Piper Cubs. Nice video.

[@FlightChops]

Cool - Ys I specifically looked for a 2-33 cockpit, because that was the type I did my initial training and first solo in! We called them spoilers on that plane, but I won't argue with what you are saying about dive brakes.

[@josephcumming2586]

Beautiful first landing!

[@FlightChops]

Joseph Cumming Thanks!

[@qbee42]

I've been flying a Champ on skis off of Lake Michigan this winter. It doesn't get much more fun than flying a taildragger on skis.

[@FlightChops]

It is crazy that you happened to make this comment today! I am literally just finishing up an awesome video flying a Super Cub on skis! I got amazing coverage running 3 GoPros, and a couple friends shot D-SLR from the ground - Look for that video on my channel later today!

[@svenski59]

Great video, I definitely have the tail drag bug, fly a Kitfox. I am just about to look at your other vids. Keep up the good work and safe landings.

[@skippyskater]

Another great video Chops!

[@warshipsdd-2142]

Enjoy your channel, and this one reminds me of my flights learning from a pair of barnstormers on a sod field in a 1939 Champ (Air Knocker) Who needs a training wheel :)

[@hatchettc182]

excellent vid chops! congrats on tail dragger time

[@musoseven8218]

Wonderful! My dad flew gliders and then taildraggers. I'd love to fly taildraggers (TDs) one day too. I think lots of taxy practice helps - challenging though looking over/around the nose, zig zagging helps too. The post landing analysis you gave yourself? I can hear my dad saying the same things. 'I need to keep that stick hard back when on the ground, it doesn't stop flying until it stops and I'm always on the pedals - follow me through'. Gentle back pressure the rest of the time. TDs, I think, make one a better pilot, more skill required. Similarly certain microlights take a light approach and thus similar approach and skill, especially TD versions.

[@TheAviator789]

Love the way you put up 7 million subscribers at end.

[@FlightChops]

have had 30K channel views so far and you're the first to mention noticing that joke :P good times.

[@Aero360Aviation]

This was the first chops video I ever saw. Led me to go ahead and watch ALL the rest of them ;-D !!

[@FlightChops]

Very cool! There are nearly 100 episodes now!

[@Aero360Aviation]

Wow, that is awesome! (No wonder it took me a couple weeks to watch them all haha) Seriously though, I love your work and am greatly inspired by it all! Thanks for all the hard work you do, and congratulations on the fun you get to have!

[@luer0211]

Thanks a lot for that video! Starting my tail-dragger check-out next week. Totally looking forwards to that! I'm a glider pilot also, so hopefully that will help as you said it did :) Again, great work edditing! AND flying of course! :)

[@FlightChops]

Awesome thnx - looking forward to hearing how it goes - I can't resume my training until the spring :( this plane had a minor accident after my first lesson and has been offline since the fall… she should be back good as new in the spring though.

[@luer0211]

***** Ahh, that's too bad! Hope she gets back soon :)

[@HS-ll8mr]

VERY NICE EDITTING

[@barrytod3227]

Very cool video. I'm a PP as well (currently trying to do a BFR..maybe next month ha ha) and I did about 4 hours in my Club's Super Cub (currently the oldest single owner aircraft in New Zealand) back in 1983. Rather stupidly I didn't finish the rating after going solo. Fast forward to almost 30 years to the day I last flew her and I did a few circuits (dual) but due to a bit of a crosswind I had to wheel her on.........something I had never done. I actually did ok on the first two as they were touch and gos. But when it came time for a full stop my nose wheel training took over and I put in a bit of back pressure, she stopped flying and bam a big bounce! Never bounced anything before so no instinctive recover, fortunately the instructor took over and recovered her for me! I have to get a rating as the aircraft I am rebuilding is also a tail dragger but I do know I have a lot to learn! Well done on your first landing, you looked good!

[@gs5355]

It's great that folks use KZbin like this, good footage and camera placement, viewing the pilot's controls and actions rather than the coutryside! Very interesting. Tks.

[@klesmer]

Thanks Man. That is the purist form of avitation - taildragger on a grass field.

[@FlightChops]

Yeah - it is way too much fun! I actually got to fly one on skis recently! That video is coming soon!

[@BrianEdlin]

Another great video! Thanks

[@marseillesdefrance]

great vid thanks. you are really helping aviation with these vidios.keep up the good work.

[@keithgilderhus3447]

Great job and great fun! Thanks!

[@CFPWQ]

That's a nice SGZ 2-33 ;) i'm a flight instructor on those gliders for the canadian air cadets and it's a reall flying tank haha!

[@dnhug]

Liked my friend! Well done!!

[@FlightChops]

thanks for sharing!

[@jayphilipwilliams]

At 2:40, you're putting in a lot of right aileron, but the plane is banking to the left. What's up with that? Inset and main video out of sync? Wake turbulence from that big bird that darted in front of you? Thanks for all the fun videos!

[@FlightChops]

Cool thanks. And no, the video is not out of sync. Those are the actual control inputs - I think it isn't as much right aileron as it looks, but it looks like it did take some to stop the roll...

[@snudilicious]

Good vid buddy

[@FlightChops]

snudilicious thanks!

[@Mexx1011]

Looks like quite a successful landing for the first tail dragger landing. What's that grass strip called? Is it public?

[@FlightChops]

Thnx, but I don't deserve the credit for a good 1st landing as much as Dennis does for being a solid instructor… His delivery is great as you can hear, and can you imagine the level of skill it takes to instruct from the back seat with no instruments AND a limited forward view?

[@FlightChops]

Oh, I forgot to reply about the grass field - yeah, I don't think it is public, but the owner is ok with letting our flight school do tail wheel training there as not a lot of people are doing the training at any given time.

[@907Alaskan574]

Nice landing don't stress the directional control it comes with time. You might try and slower it down my over the fence speed is 40mph in my cub. I rotate at 30 so 1.3 is 39. Every cub is different so see when yours will fly and go 1.3 and you'll do fine you can drag them in slower for real short spots but 1.3 gives you some room till you get comfortable in the cub. BTW how did you get 100 indicated I can get that at 1500fpm descent.

[@FlightChops]

Thanks! and I really appreciate your insights! Dunno about the speed... I don't have much time in the plane yet, but at 2200 RPM level, she seems to rock at about 100 MPH..? (this one has not floats or skis or anything on it, so as far as Super Cubs go, it's a clean one.)

[@907Alaskan574]

A lot of cub flying is by feel and I was meaning when you get comfortable in her and get a feel for how she handles. I won't recommend dragging it in behind the power curve till you have a bunch of time in it. You see how short they get in and out normally so you don't have to get to slow unless your wanting to get into some really shot gravel bars. Gavel bars and off field are where cub play there a lot of fun when you get comfortable in the cub you might find someone that instructs in off field work. From the pics looks like that cub has a cruse prop little tires so that helps mine has extended HD gear 29" bushwheels vg's and a 82-41 borer prop and I question the rigging but I've just started a complete rebuild so we'll see what she does after. Have fun with your cub training there a fun plane to fly

[@FlightChops]

907Alaskan574 You sound like the kinda guy I might wanna do some flying with - If you give me the excuse, I'd love to drag the family (wife and one little daughter) out to Alaska some time! Let's swap contact info! If you're into it, you can email me at Flightchops at gmail dot com

[@benjamingregory7479]

@flightchops please watch the new(ish) Vice show on surviving in Alaska - I'd lo e for you to debrief that crazy landing on a riverside gravel bed. Seems so short!

[@nissimnave]

thank you so much for sharing!

[@billybobsbanjo]

have you seen the STOL tips videos on youtube? do you think they are worth anything? I know they have cool scenery, but do you think they have merit?

[@FlightChops]

Steve Little I find the STOL stuff fascinating... But I imagine most of those Alaska bush guys have at least 10 times more hours than I'll ever have :PSo it's not something I'll ever likely get to do.

[@CBWBASS]

I've started my flying in glider too.. I've got to ask..do you miss flying gliders? I'm going to start my powered training too but I get the feeling that I'm really going to miss the sensation of soaring for hours on nothing but hot air.

[@FlightChops]

I miss soaring constantly! This is a big reason why I'm flying tail wheel... I hope to get back to a local soaring club to volunteer as a tow pilot and also get back into gliding. What happened was after I moved to power training I got too busy to keep up with gliding, and let it go - that was back in '95! It is tough to find the time for full day trips to the gliding club, but I understand that's how it works - you might only get one or two short flights in, but you should be there in the morning to pull the planes out, stick around to run wings during the day, and then help clean up and put the planes away at the end of the day. It is just so much easier with power only need to set aside a couple hours to do a one hour flight - you just show up, get the keys and go... But the true freedom you feel in a glider is a rush that I've chased and never achieved with power flying.

[@CBWBASS]

***** Couldn't agree with you more.. I'm really glad that I've learnt how to fly a glider, I think I have learnt a lot of valuable skills that I wouldn't have picked up on otherwise..Hopefully once I've completed a decent amount of my powered training (going all the way to a CPL) I will be able do a bit of gliding in my spare time :) We usually winch launch at our gliding club.. Its an absolutely incredible feeling! If you haven't tried it I definitely recommend it once you get back into gliding.

[@CBWBASS]

Richard H Oh no, I'm getting my CPL on powered aircraft :)

[@kentbremner7828]

How many hours are you at!

[@gumimalac]

excellent video. i am getting my taildragger rating soon. this is getting me ready. why cant i find 1 to 7

[@FlightChops]

haha - sorry for the confusion regarding tips # 1-7 - It's a bad joke; I am going to be numbering the tips randomly as I release them, becasue A) I don't know how many there will be, and B) I have no idea what order of importance to assign them...

[@gumimalac]

works for me. keep them coming.

[@StingFlight]

Five Stars, FC!

[@ryanvilletard4026]

Did you get your gliders license and experience through Air Cadets?

[@FlightChops]

nah; I starred with Cadets as a ~12 year old, but realized my personality and military did't match - I ended up doing it privately in my early 20's

[@johnstampart4901]

fun!

[@alaskanalain]

I'm left-handed but I am also more comfortable flying right with left hand on throttle.

[@rampanttricky17]

Cool! thanks for sharing.

[@FlightChops]

Steve Anderson happy to share - glad you enjoyed it!

[@samdavis2056]

what is the airport ID of the grass strip?

[@FlightChops]

Sam Davis Hi - I'm not sure... off the top of my head, I don't even think it is listed actually - I'll have to check

[@lucgillesrobert8395]

hawsome vid

[@FlightChops]

luc gilles robert I am happy to share!

[@epicknowitall]

First view! Awesome vid man!

[@johnspencefareal420]

Wish someone would yank me like you yanked that stick but otherwise nice vid

[@funkyglider1216]

Think you are feeling like me now trying to land a 3-axis instead of my trike...Like my teacher tells me...ceep calm and don't stir around on the stick like you want to cook a whale...or sort of...